Is Cragg the right AD for the job?

MugCostanza said:
He resigned, wasn't fired. No buyout for him
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My understanding is that he had a 5 year contract. After year 4 he approached StJ's for an extension. St. John's said "not now; lets see how thing go , come back and we will talk"; Mullin unexpectedly quit. St. John's did not anticipate him promptly resigning late in the coach carousel process.
 
otis said:
My understanding is that he had a 5 year contract. After year 4 he approached StJ's for an extension. St. John's said "not now; lets see how thing go , come back and we will talk"; Mullin unexpectedly quit. St. John's did not anticipate him promptly resigning late in the coach carousel process.
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I found the following online. I have no idea if is accurate, but it is my understanding that he got several million dollars when he "resigned"!

Mullin's resignation was announced Tuesday afternoon. He will get a buyout to offset the two years and $4 million remaining on his contract, a source said. Mullin’s lack of any head-coaching experience when he was hired made him a suspect choice to many in the basketball community, despite his legendary on-court exploits for the school.
 
I didn't think Mullin got anything. In fact, I remember him being shocked that he wasn't entitled to the remaining money after quitting, which shocked me that he wouldn't know that quitting would void the contract.

Don't know if this means he quit or "quit," and whether if it was quit that we paid him some money simply because he's Chris Mullin. Whole thing the way it was presented in the media was weird.
 
L J S A said:
I didn't think Mullin got anything. In fact, I remember him being shocked that he wasn't entitled to the remaining money after quitting, which shocked me that he wouldn't know that quitting would void the contract.

Don't know if this means he quit or "quit," and whether if it was quit that we paid him some money simply because he's Chris Mullin. Whole thing the way it was presented in the media was weird.
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That St. John's paid him a salary was an insult to his mentor Lou Carnesecca!
Mullin should have paid St. John's to mimic a coach while on-the-job training.
I'm very doubtful that the "extension" story is true.
In year TWO, he sold the home he purchased on the north shore and moved his wife and daughter back to California. He basically became a commuter coach living out of a suitcase in a hotel.
Following Mullin as St. John's coach are 4 years of my life I'll never get back!
The hiring decisions at St. John's in the past quarter century look like they were coordinated by the Acme Employment Agency.
 
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It took two months and from now on Cragg is going to look like a fabulous AD Recruiting is going great, the schedule for years to come is looking great, ticket sales are flying and donations will o doubt will be improving.
And this all happened with Cragg staying home.
 
I'm really not going going to enter this fray but I would say strongly say that if you think that there is a magic AD out there who will wave a wand and create champion class success in all of our sports, you are sadly mistaken.

Our other teams are in dire need of funds. The tennis team's outdoor courts need resurfacing every 2 years, the women's basketball team needs a new locker room, the world class fencing program (we produce Olympians) needs new electronic equipment needed to host on campus competition, the list is endless even before facilities are overhauled.

The lacrosse team made a great hire of an up and coming young assistant from Michigan, Justin Tursi. He was hired at the end of June 2022, so to swipe at that team's record last season is unfair to him and that program.

Our baseball team for 25 years under Ed Blankmeyer. He succeeded SJU HOF coaches Joe Russo, and Jack Kaiser. Mr. Kaiser also became AD, and in a simpler time was a great one. Mike Hampton certainly has a challenge to restore our recently very good baseball program.

In all my years as student, employee, fan, and supporter only 3 ADs stand out. Jack Kaiser was an exceptional gentleman who served the university with class up until the time of his death in 2022. Ed Manetta did a very good job, including dealing with Fran, before moving to the private sector.

Mike Cragg is such a radical improvement over his 2 predecessors Monasch and Goff that it's laughable. He is a guy who first hand was part of one of the country's great athletic programs for 30 years, and definitely kmows what it takes to be successful here.

He has been way more visible, way more public, and way more approachable than any predecessor, Kaiser and Manetta included. He has used both as resources and both Ed, Jack, and Carnesecca on the athletic HOF committee that Mike resurrected. He had the strength of character to deal with and move on from a legend Mullin as coach, in only 1 year's time. Think of the hole Georgetown vould not dig out if with Ewing as coach of a collapsed program.

Short of a donor emptying his nonna's garden to fund everything sju athletics need, cragg is doing a lot with a limited budget. Who do you think negotiates with MSG and Ubs? Who brought seatbacks and beer to CA? Literally Mike has his fingers directly in everything important, aided by some pretty smart long term AD associates. And oh yea, good luck replacing a Kathy Meehan who was recognized as a gem by Cragg.

If you are craxy happybwith the Pitino hire, just remember that it began with a decision to move on from CMA, which likely would not have happened if Goff or Monasch were still here.

There are some batshit crazy detractors, some of which obviously worked at SJU and have bones to pick, but just be careful what you wish for because we could pay twice as much for a new AD who works half as hard and not nearly as competent. Even then most would laugh at the notion of building a skyscraper here using popsicle sticks.

Yes, I'm totally partisan, but with goid reason. Last post for me on this subject which I've ignored till today.
 
While I give Cragg a little more credit than Marillac, I lean more towards his opinion than Beasts.

The big change is obviously Pitino. But it is fair to question if it was not for Fr. Shanley, would Cragg have made such a move. I do not think so. He was hitched to Anderson succeeding more than most.

Now that the basketball program is in hall of fame hands, Cragg can concentrate on fixing the other programs which have fallen badly. It should be less taxing than SJU’s flagship program.

Soccer and baseball have past successes to build from.
 
kranmars said:
While I give Cragg a little more credit than Marillac, I lean more towards his opinion than Beasts.

The big change is obviously Pitino. But it is fair to question if it was not for Fr. Shanley, would Cragg have made such a move. I do not think so. He was hitched to Anderson succeeding more than most.

Now that the basketball program is in hall of fame hands, Cragg can concentrate on fixing the other programs which have fallen badly. It should be less taxing than SJU’s flagship program.

Soccer and baseball have past successes to build from.
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My post is a counter-post. What i would say is that very few people are aware of how this all went down and I won't share some details, but there is no way any AD can unilaterally fire a coach with that much time remaining on his deal. Even Shanley needed approval from the BOT for all steps involved. There were some radical shifts along the way and in the end most key players were in alignment, including Shanley, Cragg, and the BOT, especially the chair.

The season fell apart in phases, small cracks developed into major structural fissures. What began a a typically slow start to the BE season began form a hole we wouldn't climb out of. When that was apparent the initial reaction was CMA would get a season to redeem himself. When visibly Curbelo and Pinzon transformed into Barnum and Bailey, enough crap was happening to form the inevitable decision to move on.

I remember having a conversation with a couple of people very very close to the situation when the team had not yet imploded but the season looked shot. I questioned whether Mike would be strong enough to consider a change if the high hoped season completely fell apart. I was assured he most certainly would.

Shanley certainly seized the lead as it is within his authority but although he is getting (and not shunning) all the credit, it was a much bigger process whereby a sizeable mix of midmajor successful coaches and high level big conference guys were considered by a small team including all key players (Shanley, Cragg and some BOT members) was assembled. I can assure you Pitino was not considered early on, and his inclusion was an evolution of events.

All I would say is that on here this board often simplifies based on lack of knowledge and creates heroes and villains. Almost certainly there is a certain glee in defaming and villifying at times greater than celebrating good stuff - like the Pitino hire.

All corporations, public and private, including universities, are all really teams. To function well all major components have to work well together. In the case of the Pitino hire, it was a team effort not without some considerable missteps.

Our fans think of an AD as a coach of coaches and measure success simply by wins and losses. Here that is reduced 95% to men's basketball. In reality the AD's job is so much bigger than that, from interfacing with institutional advancement, to marketing arms, to ticket management, and game day prep, tv contracts, sponsorships, donor clubs like red whie and champions club, to engaging and attracting students and fans, managing and improving facilities, supporting all 18 teams at games, and perhaps most of all caring for and managing academic and personal needs of some 400 student athletes.

You may think Cragg is doing or not doing a good job, but without knowledge of the position it is all just fan board blather.

I would suggest if anyone has concerns, engage Cragg directly. He will willingly discuss any aspect of sju athletics with any fan, which I'm certain distinguishes him from 99% of athletic directors. He can be reached at craggm@stjohns.edu and i guarantee he will respond to your concerns.
 
kranmars said:
While I give Cragg a little more credit than Marillac, I lean more towards his opinion than Beasts.

The big change is obviously Pitino. But it is fair to question if it was not for Fr. Shanley, would Cragg have made such a move. I do not think so. He was hitched to Anderson succeeding more than most.

Now that the basketball program is in hall of fame hands, Cragg can concentrate on fixing the other programs which have fallen badly. It should be less taxing than SJU’s flagship program.

Soccer and baseball have past successes to build from.
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Honestly it's not crags call to make that decision he isn't the president and what we did with iron Mike and rp cost a lot of money. Have to admit I for one thought crag hit a home run with Anderson being that we were getting desperate after we got played by one of the brothers. As far as his performance I'm not in a place to judge as we don't really know his job details etc.....
 
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